Apparatus for separating sulfids from their ores.



PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904.

J. H. GILLIES.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SULPIDS FROM THEIR URI-1S.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SULFIDS FROM THEIR ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,747, dated December27, 1904.

Application filed September 7, 1904. Serial No. 223,603-

l'o (all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES'HYNDES GILLIns, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at No. 454: Collins street, Melbourne,inthe State of Victoria, Australia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Separating Sulfids from Their Ores, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an economical system oftreating pulverized sulfid ores or tailings, and refers particularly toan economical method of introducing active chemical liquid into thetreating-vat during the process of dealing with the said pulverized oresor tailings.

The invention applies to that system of winning the sulfids from theores or tailings known as the wet acid or saline process, whereincertain liquid chemicals create gas from some of the constitutents inthe sulfid ores, such gas forming small bubbles which attach themselvesto the particles of sulfid and raise the latter upward toward thesurface of the said liquid chemical.

In order that my invention may be the more easily understood, referencemaybe made to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one form ofapparatus embodying the salient features of my invention.

In the drawing I have illustrated a sectional elevation of saidapparatus.

In the drawing, A represents a receptacle consisting of a circular metaltank, an inverted truncated cone in shape and surrounded on its outsidewith an outer shell B. A is constructed in the form of approximatelyannular steps A. The tread of these steps A have a fall from their innertoward their outer edges. The steps A are preferably constructed of leadregulus or other material suitable for as far as possible resisting thecorrosive action of the acid or saline liquid used in the machine fortreating the sulfid ores. It will be noticed that a space is arrangedbetween A and B, so that steam or hot fluid may be circulated in suchspace for heating the liquid contained in the said receptacle A. lVithinthe said receptacle A are set a number of annular blocks 0, that are insection approximately of the form of right-angled triangles. Theseblocks are preferably made of glass and arranged so as to form as nearas possible a series of rings within the receptacle A, being held intheir position by any suitable inclined metal standards. It will benoted that each ring thus formed will in the downward direction be of alesser diameter than the one above it. Spaces D are allowed between eachof such rings, while beneath the lowest ring and near the bottom of thereceptacle A is a circular vessel E, provided at its base with anescape-pipe F. It will be seen from the drawing that E is somewhatfunnelshaped and is of greater diameter at its top than the lowest ring0, but of lesser diameter than the receptacle A at that part. The pipe Fleads away to the receiving-tank F and is controlled by a cock placed atE At the bottom of A is a leadaway duct or pipe G, controlled by a cockG, through which the tailings from the bottom of A may escape into theresidual dross-tank G Entering into the circular vessel E, near itsbottom, is an inlet liq uid-chemical pipe H, controlled by a cock at H,While a similar liquid-chemical inlet-pipe J enters close to the bottomof the receptacleA and is controlled by a cock J. Both the pipes H and Jare branches of the main liquid-chemical supply-pipe K, which leads froma cock L. The cock L is set in a small tank L and receives its supplythrough the medium of a pipe M from a liquid-reservoir placed at ahigher level. The cock L is governed by a ball N, which in its turn isactuated by the level of the liquid chemical in the receptacle A, athrough duct or passage N keeping both the tank L and the receptacleA inopen communication with one another.

0 is a hood for distributing the supply of pulverized material in aneven manner into the circular margin of A. This hood 0 is provided withan open leadaway pipe or flue P to carry away any steam that may collectin from the exhalations during the working of the chemical liquid in thereceptacle A. The bottom of O incloses the top of an annularbaffle-plate R, so placed as to cover the top of the uppermost annularset of blocks C. The

function of the said annular battle-plate R is to continue the directionof the pulverized ore which flows down the outside of the hood 0 to apoint below the surface of the chemical solution immediately above theouter circle of the first of the steps A. The underneath surface of theannular bafiie R serves to direct the sulfids acted upon by the solutionbeneath it over the upper edge of the blocks C, so that when such sulfidparticles upon losing their gas-bubbles fall again they will descendinto the main body of liquid in A and thence downward over the interiorfaces of each of the said annular blocks G into the centralfunnel-shaped vessel E.

In operation the receptacle A is first filled to almost its top with thechemical liquid to be used. Heat is then applied in the jacket between Aand B. The pulverized sulfid ores or tailings are then allowed to evenlyflow from a receiver at S, on to and down along the hood 0 until theyfall onto the annular bafiie R, whence they fall onto the first of thesteps A and find their way down along such heated steps toward thebottom pipe G. During their passage downward the valuable sulfids becomeseparated from the drossy residue by reason of the chemical actioncausing small gas-bubbles to form upon such sulfid particles. Thesevaluable particles by reason of their buoyancy work their way up alongthe under sides 0 of the annular blocks C until they come to the nearestannular opening I), whence they escape into the main body of liquid inthe receptacle A. Here they rise to the top of the surface of the liquidand lose their bubbles. Being thus be reft of their balloonlike support,the said sulfid particles then fall either directly or along the facesof the blocks G into the funnel-shaped vessel E. Here they escapethrough the pipe F into the tank F. Cold chemical liquid (of the samenature as the heated liquid above) enters by the pipe H and flows awaythrough F, together with the sulfids, and thus automatically andsynchronously supply as much cold liquid at the needed point as will runaway at the pipe F with the sulfids. Preferably, but not arbitrarily, Iplace the escape-pipe F directly under the cold inlet-pipe H. The theoryof this (the most important portion of my invention) is that the heatedliquid in the higher portions of the receptacle Ais not appreciablyreduced in temperature by the incoming liquids nor being reduced inlevel by the liquid necessarily escaping at F to carry away the sulfidsand that as an equivalent amount of cold liquid is entering near thebottom to that running away at the bottom the level of the heated liquidin the receptacle A is not interfered with, the fact being borne in mindthat heated liquid Will not descend nor will cold liquid ascend underthe conditions set forth in this apparatus. As the heating of thechemical liquids to an unnecessarily high temperature under presentsystems causes the receptacle, and especially its heating portions, tobe more easily attacked by the corrosive action of the said chemicalfluids,it follows that it is desirable to employ such heating systems aslittle as possible, and this is facilitated by my improvements. Theresidue or drossy matter will continue to fall down the surfaces of thestep A until it reaches the bottom of A and will escape at G into thetank G and in like manner the pipe J supplies the cold liquid similarlyto that hereinbefore set forth with reference to H. Regarding thearrangement of the ball N and cock L it will be seen that owing to thecommunication through the medium of N the said ball N will maintain anadjustment of liquid through L to correspond with the escapemcnt of thechemical liquid at the bottom of A. It will be seen that the cooks H andJ can be adjusted according to what is found necessary for the inlet ofcold chemical fluid into their respective chambers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is-

1. An apparatus for separating sulfids from ores comprising a treatmentpan or vessel, means for heating the same, means for conveying a supplyof cool or cold liquid to the bottom of said pan, and means forpermitting said liquid to escape from the bottom of the pan to carryaway the drossy matter without lowering the temperature or the level ofthe heated liquid in the upper part of said treatment pan or vessel.

2. An apparatus for separating sulfids from ores comprising atreatment-pan, means for heating the same, a vessel within the lowerpart of said pan, means for conveying a supply of cool or cold liquid tothe bottom of said vessel, and means for permitting the said liquid toescape from the bottom of said vessel to carry away the separatedsulfids with out lowering the level or the temperature of the heatedliquid in the upper part of the said treatment pan or vessel.

3. An apparatus for separating sulfids from ores comprising a treatmentpan or vessel, means for heating the same, means for conveying a supplyof cool or cold liquid to the bottom of said pan, and means forpermitting said liquid to escape from the bottom of the pan to carryaway both the drossy matter and the sulfids but independently of oneanother and without lowering the temperature or the level of the heatedliquid in the upper part of the said treatment pan or vessel.

4. In an apparatus for separating sulfids from ores and in combination,a receptacle, means for heating the same, an annular series of angularblocks arranged above one another with a space between, a vessel setbelow said blocks, an inlet pipe or duct for conveying liquid to saidvessel, an outlet pipe or duct for sulfids and liquid leading from saidvessel, an inlet pipe or duct for conveying liquid to said receptacle,and an outlet pipe or duct for residual or drossy matters leading fromsaid receptacle.

5. In an apparatus for separating sulfids from ores and in combination,a receptacle formed with steps. an outer shell to form aheating-chamber, an annular series of angular blocks arranged above oneanother With a space between, a vessel set below such blocks, an inletpipe or duct for conveying liquid to said vessel, an outlet pipe or ductfor sulfids and liquid leading from said vessel, and an inlet pipe orduct for conveying liquid to said receptacle, and an outlet pipe or ductfor residual or drossy matters leading from said receptacle.

6. In an apparatus for separating sulfids from ores and in combination,a receptacle,

means for heating the same, an annular baffie-plate, a hood, means fordistributing a supply of pulverized ore over said hood, an annularseries of angular blocks set with openings between them through whichthe gasified sulfid particles may pass but not return, a vessel belowsaid blocks, inlet and outlet pipes for liquid and sulfids respectivelyleading to and from said vessel, corresponding inlet and outlet pipesfor liquid and drossy residue respectively leading to and from saidreceptacle and a ball-and-cock system for maintaininga level of liquidin the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES HYNDES GILLIES.

Witnesses:

A. SAoHsE, A. HARKER.

